Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-24
SparrOws.
THOUSANDS CAPTURED IN PHILADELPHIA AND SOIL
FOR REED BIRDS.

THOUSANDS CAPTURED IN PHILADELPHIA AND SOLD
FOR REED BIRDS.
From the Philadelphia News.
''Them sparrers has been cussed hard enough to
drive them out OF the country, but they've made
me many an honest dollar, an III take their
part"
That's what Joe johnson says and he knows
what he is talking about. Joe hasn't any visible
means Of support-in daylight. He does his work
by night. He has an assistant, and the product OF
his after-dark labOrS has taken the dollars from
the pockets OF many an unsuspecting man who
treats himself to the toothsome reed bird Joe is
sparrow METER, and he is the only one in the
city who follows it as money making business.
His hunting grounds are not the pubic squares
nor wooded places near the city. He hunts his
game chiefly on the side walls OF churches, dwell
Ing houses, and other places where ivy vines climb
and cling.
Just at this time the sparrows are prepartne to
quit the chilly Northern climate for one more con-
genial to their delicate English blood and every
ivy vine in the city is the scene OF nightly con-
vention, where noisy discussions are held upon the
weather probabilities and where all the signs OF
an early Ii are talked over. These conventions
the sparrow hunter endeavOrs each evening to
attend. and he seldom leaves without capturing
the convention more completely than Sam Ran
dali captured the late democratic convention at
Allentown.
The sparrow-netter's method OF procedure is
this: He provides himself with a scoop-net SIM
liar TO those used for Grabbing, but much larger.
He has put an improvement on the idea however,
as he has a purse-string through the net some dis
lance below the ring. The mouth Of the net is
about six feet In diameter. The handle is long
enough to enable him to reach high up on the
sides OF the Uncovered buildings.
He knows every UNCOVERED wall in the city,
and he visits nearly every one OF them nigh ly.
lie generally starts out in the neighbOrhOOd OF
10th and Clinton streets, where there are several
houses covered with the clinging creepers and
from there he makes his rounds, going to the cor
ner of Washington Square and Locust street, TAX
Ing In all those buildings about Sth and Locust.
He then works his way up to a building on Arch
street, near 18th, which is favorite place for the
sparrow convention, and he generally finishes his
nightly hunting at Spring Garden street. near
18Th, where there is another vine-clad house,
cOnclave
When Joe reaches spot where he intends to
make haul, he reaches up his big net until he
covers large space where the vine, are thickest.
While he presses the mouth OF the net close against
the wall his assistant, with long pole, stirs up
the vines. The disturbed birds az and tiutIer
bnndly into the net. When he thinks al, are in
Joe pulls the purse-string and incloses his game
Down comes the net, and one after another the
neckS OF the birds are wrung. He then ties them
up in bundles OF twelve, deposits them in basket
and goes on TO the next vine.
His catch is running a little light yet, but last
lall ne captured as high as 100 dozen In a single
night The lack of love Philadelph1ans have Tor
the noisy little nuisances makes it a matter of
little difficulty for Joe to obtain permission to trap
the sparrows, and the police who know his bu.i
ness, never interfere with him. When the walls
can be reached from the street he never asks any.
A reporter, 10 whom Joe explained his manner
Of capturing the sparrows, asked him what he did
Win UneIn.
'.Seli EN-" answered Joe.
arc whOm?"
swell, ii you promise not to tell ANYBODY I'll
tel YOU sell EN- TO the restaurants for reed
birds. OF course the people that buys 'em knows
Wnat Iney are! Ie see, real reed birds cost the
restaurants from fifty cents dozen up. sell the
sparrers 10 them for from twenty-five cents to
th1rty-hve cents, accOrd1n to the catch. 1 pluck
EN- and Tx EN- up alter take EN- home at night,
ana take 'em out carry in the morning. l lind
goou sale Tor 'em. guess ii you have eaten reed
BIRD pot pie, reedies on toast or any other way,
you must have eaten some OF my catch. There
haint much difference In the taste an durn me IL
wouldn't rather eat sparrer anyhow. There's one
dish the sparrers make better than reedies an
they are g1nerally used for it. You take potater
an split II, an you scoop out jest enough OF the
potater TO make hole large enough fer TO put the
sparrer In Before you put the bird in you put an
oyster Inside o him. Smut yer pertater up, tie
string around II, and bake It, II you only had $40.
an each potato filled with sparrer cost dollar,
you'd eat yer SO out Ell you began onct. on, yes,
l make plenty or money While the sparrers are
gettln' ready to quit the town. but the seasons
short.
Don't, for goodness sake, tell them hash house
people that told you this thing, or can't sell
them more SDarrerS